Military Buys P400m Night Vision Goggles

26 Mei 2010

M194A night vision google (photo: opticsplanet)

THE Army has bought over 2,000 units of night vision goggles worth P400 million to enhance its combat operations against militants in Mindanao.

Lt. Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr., the Armed Forces spokesman, said Tuesday 920 pieces of the gadget were so far delivered.

“Each night vision goggle costs more or less P200,000. Our chief of staff, Gen. Delfin Bandit, directed our capability upgrade officers to hasten the delivery of the equipment that would be used by our soldiers in the field for combat operations,” he said.

Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres Jr., the Army spokesman, said the 2,351 units of M914A monocular goggles were supplied by Nightline Inc., a US defense contractor.

Nightline said in its website that it is owned, and staffed by former military members schooled in night operations and counter insurgency.

While the first delivery was made on March 7, the rest of the goggles would arrive in May, Torres said. The Army would get the bulk of the shipment and the Air Force would get 186 units.

The night vision goggles could enhance the combat operations of at least three infantry divisions in Mindanao. Bangit said Monday he is now focusing on modernizing the operational capability of the three divisions as one of his top priorities.

Burgos declined to specify which infantry divisions, but hinted the recipients would be the regiments of the Special Forces and the Scout Rangers that operate at night.

(Manila Standard Today)